Expectations
by Sundrop Extravaganza
Summary: Even Lightning has her expectations. Prequel to Hazelnut Cream!


**A/N: I uploaded this on A03 a couple days ago and forgot to upload here orz. Btw, this still isn't the sequel I was talking about. Expectations and Hazelnut Cream are prequels.**

 **Thank you usachanman and Lux Remnant for writing the best crack fics I ever read in the world of fanfiction. Their work Gas (usa's) and Zemblanity (Lux's) are a gem, go check it out.**

 **I'm my own beta so if there something problematic, bad grammar or just some communication problem send me a message!**

Lightning Farron isn't one to talk about her opinions, especially if it came to her position, work, family and basically the daily chaos of everyday life. However if a curious bystander really insisted on knowing Sergeant Farron despite the consequences of doing so, the first thing you would notice is that the air around her is as cold as the arctic ice; emphasizing discipline, authority, and her law abiding character- maybe.

If you approach a few of the people who personally understand Miss Farron, you would get many different responses of their perspective of Lightning.

Her sister Serah, a lady who works as a primary school teacher in Bohdum; a city in Lucis's floating district of Cocoon , will say sweet things such as that they both reciprocate their love for each other dearly, a hard earnest worker that Lightning Farron is, perhaps working a little too hard at the Guardian Corps, will always stand by your side to support you (if she actually likes you that is…) and that she is a tad bit strict.

Her co-worker and self-declared friend, agent Oerba Yun Fang, a fiesty woman who hails from the ancient village of Oerba, just between the borders of Lucis's Duscae Region and that of Accordo's Sulya Springs, would proudly declare that-

"Sunshine can kick yo arse into next Tuesday and got the patience of those nasty sabertusks. Tsk tsk tsk, if ya known better, ya never should have messed around with that crazy girl. But wow is she studious in her free time, most likely had outrun me in a majority of ridiculous foot races. Despite all of her obvious awesomeness…" Fang would usually pause dramatically, before saying, " poor girl can't hold her liquor!" It's common to see her laughing hysterically right after telling you the time she tricked Lighting into drinking a small glass of tequila after arriving home exhausted, to which the solider believed it was some sort of strange Oerban iced tea unknowingly served by Vanille, Fang's distant relative.

Captian Adomar, Lightning's boss and employer for the Guardian Corps, would say that Farron is one of his best soldiers he's ever encountered. As someone who's priority on the job is to leave no stone unturned, Lightning has been place in the external and internal divisions, with her sensitive intuition and grace, it easily puts PSICOM's operations and plans to shame. Why he is so obsessed about PSICOM is a story for another time.

Noel and Yeul, a pair of adoptive siblings who take care of a patisserie in downtown Insomnia, are on two different sides of the spectrum. Noel practically fears the woman, Yeul on the other hand understands her- perhaps only to the point where she can sense what she's feeling. But if there was anything that they both agreed on, Lightning Farron was reluctant to admit having a sweet tooth, one that she gives into quite frequently. The siblings would frequently save the last couple of slices of her favourite strawberry gateau or the daily special for the Farron Sisters if Serah was ever in town for an occasional field trip when she would bring her class to.

Next, if you approached a fellow by the name of Sazh Katroy, a senior pilot working in a specialized division of Guardian Corps, and who also lives in Bodhum, would say that the girl is always tired, though she is very good at hiding it. But even so, she does show that rare once of kindness toward children. His son, Dajh, is actually a student of Serah Farron, so to some extent, they both share mutual respect for each other. Dajh enjoys Lightning's company and piggy back rides, where as the pet chocobo chick of his seems to enjoy her soft hair whenever it perches on the top of her head enjoying the view peacefully.

Speaking of kids, Hope Estheim basically has a 15 page essay just emphasizing of what he admires about his mentor/elder sister figure. It's best if we don't dive deep into that unless you would love to hear about the time where Lightning took down a fire breathing dragon and was promptly hailed as a national hero.

And being a hero takes more than just time, something that Snow Villers ultimately needs to learn. The ever dreaded brother-in-law to be to Lightning Farron really has nothing to say about her because Lightning usually beats him up before he has a chance too.

A lady of few words (and many brick-crushing punches), Lightning Farron is certainly the enigma, to the public, to her co-workers, even to her friends and family! But despite the differences in their perceptions of Lightning Farron, despite how not obvious it may be, it is certain that these perceptions all ultimately lead to the same ending: that Lightning Farron, is an enigma to herself.

And Lightning doesn't even know it.

* * *

"Lightning Farron. Sergeant of Guardian Corps for the Royal Exchange Transfer Program. I will offer the best of my service for the program's duration"

"Gladious Amitica. Bodyguard and trainee member of Lucis's National Security Society. On behalf of the Royal Family of Lucis, we thank you for dedication."

The man standing in front of her could have been a rival of Snow's height, except the tattoos along his arms were certainly what differentiate him from everyone else in the train station. After lowering her arm from her salute, she only then noticed the scar across his face and messy hair, a reminiscent of Fang's.

While being escorted to sleek black cars parked a couple blocks from the station, Lightning wondered how on earth Gladiolus managed to not occupy himself with a shirt in this weather. The rain was relentlessly splashing against the umbrella and still managed to get on her thigh the only thing you can see of the sun were the couple of rays that peeked out under they darken clouds while setting across the horizon. She felt heavier every time her foot touched the ground, realizing that she was walking on solid ground of the planet for the first time. Glancing up towards where she expected Cocoon to be, elaborate concrete skyscrapers blocked her view instead. She was used to having been 'walking amongst the clouds'. Just seeing Cocoon for the first time on her train ride made it seem like it was a second moon in the sky; except with its massive hole in the middle of course.

And Insomnia's fashion sense was utterly bizarre. Her sister was usually the one who took care of the fashion in the household and wasn't much of an expert on it either, but Lightning was fairly certain that red soles at the bottom of Gladiolus's and the other bodyguard's shoes and the skulls embedded into their clothes meant trouble. Not to mention the strange non-verbal communication of side glances, blinking and grunting that was going on around her and Gladiolus. She was fairly certain there was some suspicions of her and the suddenly transfer of the program she was recently placed in.

Captian Adomar summoned her in his office 3 months prior, suddenly asking her the strangest of questions.

"Now tell me Farron." the man coughed, tying back the cap onto his water bottle. " what are your plans for the future?"

Wondering what on earth would have made her employer asked that, all the future there was for Lightning Farron was to make sure Serah was happy and ready for the real world. But Serah was happy (unfortunately for Lighting, her sister was happy with the most obnoxious man to grace the planet) and ready for the real world already. 3 months ago, Serah just turned 23, marking a year after receiving her bachelor's in education. Later on in the year, Lightning would be 26. Serah wasn't home as frequent as she used to be, often waking up a bit later and rushing to the elementary school in Palumpolum, then coming home in the late evening after surpervising the after school activities, but her sister still managed to be successful at it.

Does Serah really need her by her side? What was she going to do if her sister didn't? Advance the ranks in Guardian Corps? Go back to school and start university? What did she even find interesting back in her childhood?

Lightning didn't remember any of it. It was a blank space.

"How would you like to go on an exchange program?"

"Sir?"

Adomar turned around and grabbed a secure folder from the table behind him and placed it in front of Lightning and opened a bag of pine nuts to share with his subordinate while typing away at the documents he had open on his computer. On it was red ink stamped with the word 'CLASSIFIED' and a symbol of the Lucian Crest.

'A secret mission no doubt.' she thought.

"A change of place could help a youngster like you to decide for yourself." he stood up from his desk and looked at her at eye level with the widest grin. "So what do you think Farron?"

* * *

The entire car ride was entirely silent. Gladiolus was inspecting her documents while he was sitting behind her with another bodyguard. The driver was probably the first normal person she encountered, though he himself had no words or comments to share. She was satisfied with the silence and the warmth of the car and tried to make sense of the crown city's culture. The fabrication of the car was certainly unique to that of Cocoon, but a majority of the vehicles that passed them were dark, either dark grey or black, even the one she was sitting in now.

She thought that... Insomnia would have more color and some liveliness to uphold it's reputation as a tourist attraction, but there wasn't anything that caught her eye, until they entered the gates of the palace.

The drive way was certainly grand but everything else was just odd to her. Two tall towers were what made a majority of the royal residence, and giant statues of two women stood at the main entrance of the palace, lifeless eyes looking at her as if they were placing the ultimate judgement for her fate. The other cars that were following the one she was in parked in the driveway as she shut the door behind her and followed one of the bodyguards who was holding some of her luggage with some assistance of the maids who promptly offered their services.

"Yeah, makes sure Prince Charmless gets to the training ground in an hour. I still got to give the papers to the council for registration." Lightning could probably guess Gladiolus was talking to one of the bespectacled drivers from the other car driving the rest of the passengers.

"Certainly. I believe his highness also asked me to make a confirmation call to the Guardian Corps for the arrival of- LOOK OUT!"

"Sergeant Farron!"

Lightning initially thought it was an ambush on the palace to warrant such horror, but before she had a chance to even look both directions, she felt herself lose her footing.

But instead of falling backward on to the stairs behind her, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her and a few seconds later, her fall was crashed onto something else.

"Anyone dead?" she heard Gladiolus call, relieved.

"I'm fine." Lightning replied with a grunt, clearly disappointed in her lack of sense around her.

The bespectacled man ran up into her view, concern was written over his face, but he wasn't looking at her. "Your Highness?"

"Does tired count?" came a sarcastic reply.

Lightning turned around and saw that it wasn't just Gladiolus's arms that were that caught her, but he stopped the fall of the one's whose arms who were wrapped around her instead. The only feature that stood out from the lack of her peripheral vision was the innocent curiosity of this strangers eyes.

Gladiolus let out a hearty laugh. "Well I was going for the introductions later on when King Regis would be available along with the program details, but since he was there with Iggy…" Gladiolus pointed to the bespectacled man and cleared his throat.

"Sergeant Farron, meet Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum."

And what Lightning didn't realize, was that this first step she took, was a challenge against her expectations.

 **A/N: I'm still realllllllly slow at updating. orz**


End file.
